


mend the burden in me

by cielle (scipunx)



Series: of unsound mind and a traitorous heart [2]
Category: Andromeda Six (Visual Novel)
Genre: Bodyguard Romance, Don't make out on a shooting range like these dummies, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Mental Health Issues, Pre-Series, Scars, Shooting, Target Practice, Vexx is a Bad influence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:27:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29777535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scipunx/pseuds/cielle
Summary: She’s quickly silenced by the sight of several circular scars marring his chest, each of them framed by raised, mottled edges like starbursts over his skin.
Relationships: Vexx Serif/Traveler
Series: of unsound mind and a traitorous heart [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2188551
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	mend the burden in me

**Author's Note:**

> T/w for references to self-injury and mental health issues.
> 
> _“I want to burden you  
>  I want to burn in you.”_

She’s having a bad episode.

Reina swears that the walls are closing in around her, as she paces around her private quarters. She might as well be wearing away the ornate rug beneath her feet with the way her heels are digging into the pile, desperately wanting to mark her agitation into the goddamned floor.

Her breaths are shallow, a restlessness buzzing underneath her skin. She digs her nails into her forearms, wanting to tear herself open to let the unease within her escape.

Reina hates the palace—she hates the haughty portraits of her dead ancestors, the war trophies pilfered from civilisations long gone, she hates the ostentatious sitting room with its gaudy tapestries that make her want to gouge her eyes out.

Ever since Vexx had given her a peek behind the royal curtain, the princess has been craving escape from the monotony of diplomatic trips and social functions that bore her shitless.

There’s a playful rapping at her door that cuts through the disquiet buzzing around in her head. Reina recognises it as her personal guard, even before he casually enters the room without waiting for her response. The redhead quickly proceeds to shrug off his coat, hanging it on the valet stand by the entrance like a learned ritual.

“Hey Princess, I’m finally off my shift—”

“Vexx.”

She gives him a look of desperation, as if pleading to her saviour.

Reina rarely ever used to address the guard by his first name. It was always “Lieutenant Serif” until recently, the title laying down a safe, professional boundary between them.

Vexx pauses, glancing down at the crescent indents in Reina’s wrists. He immediately strides over to her and grasps her forearms in a gentle hold, thumbs smoothing over the reddened marks.

“Tell me what you need,” he says, his vividly green eyes filled with concern.

She steadies her breathing, preventing the words from tumbling out gracelessly amidst her mental anguish. Reina sounds them out with purpose, recalling her etiquette teacher’s stern lessons in elocution: _enunciating is of the utmost importance._

“I need to get out of here.”

Looking thoughtful for a moment, Vexx fiddles with the strap of his rifle slung across his torso. A grin creeps onto his face.

“I’ve got an idea,” he laces their fingers together and squeezes her hand. “You’re gonna love it, trust me.”

* * *

The shot misses the target when she winces, hissing as the empty shell casing bounces off of her bare midriff. Vexx’s hand immediately flies out to lower her pistol and put the safety on, taking it from her hands.

“Shit, are you okay?”

“Yes, although it was fucking stupid of me to wear a crop top and go shooting,” Reina looks down to examine the small burn mark above her navel, frowning.

Vexx’s eyes widen briefly, before they crease in his ensuing laughter. “Damn, Princess, you’re spending way too much time with me, now that my foul mouth has rubbed off on you—”

It’s far too late for him to take back his poor choice of words.

Reina bursts out laughing despite the embarrassment setting her face on fire. The guard’s own cheeks begin to match the shade of his hair colour, but he catches her infectious giggling.

“You wish, Vexx.”

Their laughter subsides when his eyes meet her own in a heated gaze.

“What if I do?”

Vexx smirks and leans in closer, running his fingers along the faint scar across her neck. Her breath hitches involuntarily, her nerves fluttering beneath his touch.

It’s almost as if he’s issuing her a challenge. She could have him expelled from the guard for this, Reina thinks idly, heart pounding in her chest.

But she’s enjoying this far too much for her own good.

Averting her eyes, Reina wilfully chooses to ignore his question, not taking the bait.

“I could’ve had it lasered off,” she rasps out, before clearing her throat delicately. The words continue to pour out of her mouth before she can help herself, as if it were a secret she couldn’t keep. “But I wanted it to scar, as a reminder. My mother threw a massive fit, but I had my way in the end.”

Vexx frowns, puzzlement clear in his features. “A reminder…?”

“That I have the strength to endure horrible things.”

Ignoring Reina’s spluttered protests, the redhead grabs the hem of his shirt from the front and lifts it up. She’s quickly silenced by the sight of several circular scars marring his chest, each of them framed by raised, mottled edges like starbursts over his skin.

“Wish I could say the same, but I just keep these ‘cause I think they look badass,” he admits wryly.

Reina doesn’t laugh. Instead, she reaches out to trace Vexx’s scars in return, noting his slight flinch and the slow bob of his Adam’s apple as she does so.

“What happened?” she asks.

He pulls his shirt back down. “I got shot.”

Rolling her eyes, Reina gives him an unimpressed stare, expecting more of an explanation.

“Perils of the job,” Vexx says dryly, not budging.

She’s dissatisfied with his answer but doesn’t press further, knowing that he wouldn’t disclose anything more.

“You should know your place, Lieutenant,” the words come out with less bite than she intends, her admonishment lost in the image of his bare torso seared into her memory.

“Back to using formal titles, are we, Your Highness?”

“Vexx...”

“Reina,” he responds without missing a beat, smirking.

Vexx raises the pistol to fire a shot without taking his eyes off of her. She gapes as he lands a bullseye on the target effortlessly.

“You are such a show-off!” she blurts out incredulously.

“You say that as if you weren’t turned on by it.”

“ _I am not_ —”

Her voice gives out when his hand reaches out to cup the side of her face. Instinctively tensing at his touch, Reina shudders as Vexx’s thumb brushes gently over the apple of her cheek. She allows herself to relax into his hand, in spite of the nerves feathering across her skin.

Her resolve crumbles.

“Fuck it,” she says.

Clutching a fistful of his shirt, Reina pulls Vexx forwards to capture his lips. She’s wanted this for so, so agonisingly long, that she savours the feeling of him, her body pressing against his in the closeness that she had needed all this time. Vexx grasps the back of her head, returning her fervour, his fingers threading through her dark locks. She nips at his lower lip gently, causing Vexx to let out a satisfied groan.

Quickly pulling back, his eyes shutter closed while he exhales slowly. He blinks them open again, pupils still blown wide but having regained some composure. She immediately misses his warmth.

“Why did you stop?” Reina doesn’t even try to hide her disappointment in the whine of her voice, her nails digging impatiently into his chest.

Vexx laughs, “Man, I’m such a bad influence on you.”

“I’d argue that you are a good influence,” she retorts.

The corners of his eyes crinkle as he smiles down into her, leaning in for another kiss. It’s short but sweet, less fuelled by the earlier tension and filled with a soft affection that makes her heart grow lighter.

“I’d say that you’re more of a good influence on me, Princess,” he murmurs, burying his head in the crook of her neck and pressing a final kiss to the hollow of her collarbone.

**Author's Note:**

> _“I carved your name into a tree, it scarred the same as it did me  
>  Follow me home, between my sheets and mend the burden in me  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> And I want you, but I don't want to.”_
> 
> – [Burden You](https://open.spotify.com/track/0aQaGgHLren5aQ5uw6OhUu?si=LxBP3K8RRSaSLO0LTP0nqg) by Pity Sex


End file.
